Dalton Fire District Prudential Committee Reorganizes, Hires Recording Secretary on Trial Basis

Other Committee · Meeting of June 17, 2026

Dalton Fire District Prudential Committee reorganizes under new leadership and votes to hire a recording secretary on a six-month trial. Newly elected Chair Dan Filio, Vice Chair Dennis Crockwell, and Clerk David Pugh — sworn in at the start of the June 17 meeting — unanimously approved regular monthly meetings on the second Tuesday of each month at 6:30 p.m. and voted to hire an independent contractor to take minutes for roughly $2,000 per year, drawing from an existing $25,000 assistance line item, over the objections of district administrator Melanie, who called the expense "a waste of the taxpayers' dollars." Interim Fire Chief Ryan Foley opened the public comment period with a formal statement criticizing the release of the meeting agenda without prior consultation with district leadership: "The agenda was published without any prior discussion with fire district leadership and without providing any contact necessary for the members of the department and the public to understand the issues being raised." The committee also authorized members Filio and Cam Cache to approach solar companies about potential conversion of district properties, discussed joining a town-led records digitization grant effort that could yield up to $200,000, and heard that Water Commissioner Bill H-4721 remains stalled in the Massachusetts Senate Rules Committee.

In the full story:

• Who Was There
• Organizations And Documents Referenced
• The complete report — 3,046 words

Source: the Other Committee meeting of June 17, 2026, reported from the official video recording and transcript.